The Wallflowers – The Difference

From their 1996 album Bringing Down The Horse, The song reached #23 in July of 1997 on Billboards hot 100 chart and #12 in Canada.

The Difference

One, two boys by the river
Down by the water tellin’ riddles in the dark
With fireflies under the moonlight
Carvin’ the insides of a tree with a knife
Ever hear the one about the boy’s big sister
His best friend come along
He tried to kiss her
The only difference that I see
Is you are exactly the same as you used to be
One boy lives in a tower
With bow and arrow and the artificial heart
With his girl late in the summer
He loaded the cannon with a jealous appetite
They say that children now they come in all ages
And maybe sometimes old men die with little boy faces
The only difference that I see
Is you are exactly the same as you used to be
The only difference that I see
Is you are exactly the same as you used to be
You always said that you needed some
But you always had more, more than anyone
The only difference that I see
Is you are exactly the same as you used to be
The only difference that I see
Is you are exactly the same as you used to be
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Jakob Dylan

Kiki Dee Band – I Got The Music In Me

The title song from their 1974 album, The song reached #12 on Billboards Hot 100 chart on November 30, 1974.

From songfacts

This was the first US hit for Kiki Dee (real name: Pauline Matthews), who was a former backup singer for Dusty Springfield. Though she’s best known for her duet with Elton John, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” she had a successful solo career before that. This song is about a free-spirited yet pragmatic woman who’s on her way up in life due to her musical talent and isn’t going to let anything get her down or stand in her way. >>

This was written by Bias Boshell the band’s keyboard player who was in the British band Trees from 1969-1972, and went on to write several songs for Kiki Dee. Gus Dudgeon, who is famous for his work with Elton John, produced the track.

I Got The Music In Me

Ain’t got no trouble in my life,
No foolish dream to make me cry.
I’m never frightened or worried,
I know I’ll always get by.
I heat up (I heat up)
I cool down (I cool down)
When something gets in my way I go round it.
Don’t let life get me down
Gonna take life the way that I found it.
[Chorus]
I got the music in me
I got the music in me
I got the music in me
I got the music in me
I got the music in me
I got the music in me
They say that life is a circle (circle)
But that ain’t the way that I’ve found it.
Gonna move in a straight line (ooh)
Keeping my feet firmly on the ground.
I heat up (I heat up)
I cool down (I cool down)
I got words in my head so I say them.
Don’t let life get me down,
Catch a hold of my blues and just play them.
[Chorus]
Feel funky
Feel good
Gonna tell ya
I’m in the neighborhood
Gonna fly like a bird on the wing
Hold on to your hat honey,
Sing, sing, sing, sing
Heat up, cool down (cool down)
I got words in my head so I say them
Don’t let life get me down (Don’t let it get ya down)
Catch a hold of my blues and just play them.
[Chorus x2]
Ain’t got no trouble in my life,
No foolish dream to make me cry.
I’m never frightened I’m never worried,
I know, I know I’ll always get by.
I got the music
Pretty music
I got the music
In me
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get you down
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get you down
Ha, ha, ha, ha
[Chorus]
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get you down
I got the music in me
I got the music in me
I got the music in me
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get ya down
Don’t let it get you down
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Tobias Boshell

Izzy Stradlin And The Ju Ju Hounds – Shuffle It All

From his 1992 self-titled album, The song never charted. You could tell it was heavily influenced by the Rolling Stones and the Faces.

From Ultimateclassicrock.

Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds was recorded before Stradlin had signed a record deal, though it eventually ended up on Geffen, home of his former band. Even though the album attracted positive reviews and overall enthusiasm from those who heard it, it pretty much came and went without much of a trace. “Shuffle It All” was released as a single, and received modest radio and MTV play, but failed to really take off. Not that Stradlin seemed to care; he just seemed happy not being part of the circus GNR had become.

The Stones and Faces influences aren’t by chance. Guest appearances by keyboardist Ian McLagan and guitarist Ronnie Wood (both of whom were in the Faces) make certain of that. Legendary session player Nicky Hopkins also contributes piano to the record. The album also includes a cover of Wood’s solo song “Take a Look at the Guy,” just in case all these connections weren’t already in place.

The Ju Ju Hounds also included Rick Richards from the Georgia Satellites.

 

Shuffle It All

Boredom saturation
It’s a never ending clue
Isn’t just to fill the time
When there’s nothing else to do
She drove on out of New York
She had enough insane
And drivin’ just though Texas two days
She ended up in L.A.
Shuffle it all
Shuffle it all, yeah
Shuffle it all
Pack up your life again
A pile of records spread out
The covers still look good
Picture here a Peter Tosh’s
startin’ down and a smokin’ wood
My dog dreaming is running
I see him twitch a paw
My woman playing Dr. Mario
On the TV all night long
Just another cigarette
Staring at the moon, yeah
Then I’m headin’ off to bed
Sleepin’ without you, yeah
Shuffle it all
Shuffle it all, yeah
Pack up your bags again
It’s a long and winding road
Sure enjoy the view, yeah
If you want to see it
Just slow down
You’re so welcome to come along
Lookin’ for a tune to play
I’m gonna see it again
When the day is over
Try to write you ’bout the rain
Feel the motors winding on
There ain’t no news
If you see those old friends out there
Tell them that I send my love
Wake up, time to leave again
Try to find my shoes
Put the luggage in the van
Roll up your Doctor Dolittle
Shuffle it all
Shuffle it all, yeah
Shuffle it all
Pack up your things again
Shuffle it all (Keep movin’ along)
Shuffle it all (Keep movin’ along)
Shuffle it all (Keep movin’ along)
Pack up your life again
Keep on shufflin’
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: STRADLIN IZZY / ASHHURST JAMES H

Kansas – What’s On My Mind

From their 1976 album Leftoverture, The song never charted but I did hear the song on the radio. I also recorded it on cassette tape at the time which I still have.

What’s On My Mind

Well you told me
That I was just not the one
And you left me standing out in the cold
It’s been a long time
And I’m so much better now
That I’m looking back and seeing it all
And for the first time
There’s no pain in my life
It’s been a long hard road that I’ve gone
We had a good thing
And it made me a man
And I know you got me going
Pardon me, my feelings are showing
I’m only saying
What’s on my mind
Well I found you
Or maybe I found myself
And I think we knew it all of the time
We fit together
Just like a lock and a key
And we opened up each other’s mind
Yeah I was laughing
‘Cause there was no room to cry
There was too much growing to do
We had a good time
And it ain’t over yet
‘Cause I know you’ve got me going
Will you pardon me, my feelings are showing
I’m only saying
You came from nowhere
And you just jumped in my life
And I know it never will be the same
You made me love you
Now I’m home once again
No I never want to leave you nomore
‘Cause I’m attached to the better half of myself
And there is nowhere else that I’d rather be
You feel same thing
You fixed a bad broken heart
Yes I know you’ve got me going
Pardon me my feelings are showing
I’m only saying what’s on my mind
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Kerry Livgren / Kerry A Livgren

Cliff Richard – Devil Woman

From his 1976 album I’m Nearly Famous, The song peaked at #6 on Billboards Hot 100 chart on September 25, 1976, It stayed on the charts for 22 weeks.

From songfacts.

This was an uncharacteristic song for Cliff Richard, but it clicked at the time, as films about supernatural horror like The Exorcist and Carrie were popular. In the song, a man gets jinxed by a black cat with evil yellow eyes, and he goes to a fortune teller, who might be a witch, to break the spell. But it turns out she put the spell on him in the first place.

This was Richard’s biggest hit in the US. He was much more popular in his native England.

Devil Woman” was written by Terry Britten and Christine Holmes.

Devil Woman

I’ve had nothing but bad luck
Since the day I saw the cat at my door
So I came here to you, sweet lady
Answering your mystical call
Crystal ball on the table
Showing the future, the past
Same cat with them evil eyes
And I knew it was a spell she’d cast
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you from behind
Give me the ring on your finger
Let me see the lines of your hand
I can see me a tall dark stranger
Giving you what you hadn’t planned
I drank the potion she offered me
I found myself on the floor
Then I looked in those big green eyes
And I wondered what I came there for
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you from behind.
Stay awake
Look out
If you’re out on a moonlit night
Be careful of the neighborhood strays
Of a lady with long black hair
Tryin’ to win you with her feminine ways
Crystal ball on the table
Showing the future, the past
Same cat with them evil eyes
You’d better get out of there fast
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you.
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
She’s gonna get you
She’s just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Christine Hodgson / Terry Britten

April Wine – Rock Myself To Sleep

This is my contribution to Song Lyric Sunday for Jim Adams blog. The theme is Dream/Lullaby/Sleep… https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2019/08/24/sweet-dreams/

From their 1985 album Walking Through Fire, The song did not chart. The song was written by Kimberley Rew and Vince De La Cruz from the band Katrina And The Waves.

Rock Myself To Sleep

Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Thinkin’ about you
Thinkin’ about you
Now I want to say
It’s not the same since you went away
And it’s not right
You’re not here with me tonite
And it’s a crime
Just a lying here wasting my precious time
I’m so lonely and I’m so blue
Thinkin’ ’bout the things I could do to you
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Thinkin’ about you
Thinkin’ about you
And I want to know
Don’t you see how you hurt me so
Goin’ outa my head
Yeh I’m feelin’ it since you left
And it’s a crime
Just a lying here wasting my precious time
I’m so lonely and I’m so blue
Thinkin’ ’bout the things I could do to you
Everynight I rock
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Thinkin’ about you thinkin’ about you
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Thinkin’ about you
Thinkin’ about you
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Thinkin’ about you thinkin’ about you
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Everynight I rock myself to sleep
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Kimberley Rew / Vince De La Cruz / Vincent De La Cruz

J. Geils Band – Centerfold

From their 1981 album Freeze Frame, The song peaked at #1 in February of 1982. It stayed at that position for 6 weeks. I remember when I first heard the song I really did not have a feel for it. It was a little odd to me for some reason but after hearing it a few more times that changed.

From songfacts.

This song is about a guy who had a crush on a sweet, innocent girl in his homeroom in high school. Years later, he’s looking through a girly magazine and sees his homeroom crush as the centerfold, and it rocks his world – no longer is she the innocent girl in a fuzzy sweater that he dreamed about. Rather than being titillated, he is disappointed, as his “memory has been sold.”

This was written by the band’s keyboard player Seth Justman, who wrote or co-wrote all the tracks on the Freeze Frame album. He insists that the reason you didn’t hear much synthesizer on earlier J. Geils albums is because they couldn’t afford them: The band was trapped in the record company debt cycle, constantly owing money despite their success.

The J. Geils Band signed with Atlantic Records in 1970 and made a name for themselves as a great live act with a blues-based sound. “Centerfold” was a musical departure for the band – a new wave sound similar to what The Cars and The Police were doing. It was also their biggest hit, earning them a slot touring with The Rolling Stones, the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, and heavy rotation on the new cable network MTV with a video showing the band playing in a classroom surrounded by girls in Catholic school uniforms.

A side note, some people thought that one of the girls in the Centerfold video was MTV VJ  Martha Quinn but it was just a girl that looked like her.

Centerfold

Does she walk? Does she talk?
Does she come complete?
My homeroom homeroom angel
Always pulled me from my seat
She was pure like snowflakes
No one could ever stain
The memory of my angel
Could never cause me pain
Years go by I’m lookin’ through a girly magazine
And there’s my homeroom angel on the pages in-between
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
Angel is the centerfold
Slipped me notes under the desk
While I was thinkin’ about her dress
I was shy I turned away
Before she caught my eye
I was shakin’ in my shoes
Whenever she flashed those baby-blues
Something had a hold on me
When angel passed close by
Those soft and fuzzy sweaters
Too magical to touch
To see her in that negligee
Is really just too much
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
Angel is the centerfold
It’s okay I understand
This ain’t no never-never land
I hope that when this issue’s gone
I’ll see you when your clothes are on
Take you car, yes we will
We’ll take your car and drive it
We’ll take it to a motel room
And take ’em off in private
A part of me has just been ripped
The pages from my mind are stripped
Oh no, I can’t deny it
Oh yeah, I guess I gotta buy it
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My Angel in the centerfold
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
Angel is the centerfold
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Seth Justman

The Jompson Brothers – On The Run

From their 2010 self-titled album, The song never charted but I thought it was really interesting that Chris Stapleton was in a rock band before he became a big country star.

From Wikipedia.

The Jompson Brothers was an American rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2007. The band was composed of Chris Stapleton (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Greg McKee (lead guitar), Bard McNamee (drums), and J.T. Cure (bass).

On The Run

The wind is blowing, cold at dark
On the road and no way out
Chained to all the things I’ve done
On the run
On the run
I wear misery like a veil
And I don’t get much sleep
A broken heart’s a smokin’ gun
On the run
On a run
I’ve been runnin’ from the day, runnin’ from the night
Washin’ my hands on the bloody riverside
Runnin’ from the truth, runnin’ from a lie
I try to get away, but I just can’t hide
Guilty conscience slows me down
And I’m the only friend I’ve got
So I keep whiskey on my tongue
On the run
On the run
I’ve been runnin’ from the day, runnin’ from the night
Washin’ my hands on the bloody riverside
Runnin’ from the truth, runnin’ from a lie
I try to get away, but I just can’t hide
On the run
On the run
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Christopher Stapleton / Bard Mcnamee / Jt Cure / Greg Mckee

Tonic – Open Up Your Eyes

From their 1996 album Lemon Parade, The song never charted but I remember seeing the video a lot on MTV at the time.

From Wikipedia.

Tonic was founded by Emerson Hart and guitarist Jeff Russo, long-separated childhood friends who randomly crossed paths at a Los Angeles, California area pool hall in 1993. The pair quickly began collaborating on music writing, and soon added bass player Dan Rothchild, whom they met at a venue named the Kibitz room. The final addition to the band was drummer Kevin Shepard, who was recruited at an L.A. venue named Masker’s Cafe.

Hart later said the original choice for the band’s name was Radio Flyer, but upon learning that name was unavailable, selected Tonic instead (the band later referenced the term Radio Flyer in their song “Top Falls Down”). The newly formed group performed gigs around the Los Angeles, California area prior to signing their first professional recording contract in 1995. Earning a reputation as a “relentlessly gigging” band, Tonic played over 300 shows in less than two years during the mid-to-late 1990s.

The band actually recorded two versions of the song a harder version and a softer version. The video below is the softer version.

Open Up Your Eyes

Choosing stones
Big enough to drag me down
Where I am
People’s voices make hollow sounds
Just be quiet
They’ll go away
Open up your eyes
Don’t let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me goIt’s so safe
It’s so safe floating in the glass
While above
While above all your troubles pass
Just be quiet
They’ll go away
Open up your eyes
Don’t let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me go
Open up your eyes
Don’t let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me go, let me go, let me go
Open up your eyes
Just let me go
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Emerson Hart / Jeff Russo / Jeffrey Russo